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Crosse, Clay
Change isn't inevitable when it comes to recording a new album. Conventional thinking says that you shouldn't tinker with success--especially when you're an established artist like Clay Crosse.
The recipient of the 1995 Dove Award for New Artist of the Year, Clay has watched five of his songs soar to No. 1 and two of his albums mark sales of more than 400,000 units.
His powerful vocals and amiable attitude have garnered invitations to participate in high-profile special recording projects including My Utmost For His Highest: The Covenant, Emmanuel and Grammy Award winner Tribute: The Songs of Andrae Crouch as well as concert tours for The Young Messiah and Emmanuel.
But Clay was not content to be contained by conventional thinking. Instead, he felt compelled to stretch beyond the cocoon of safety in pursuit of true artistry as is clearly evident with his latest album titled Stained Glass. "When I was younger, I thought I should sing as high and as loud as I could and that would impress people," he says, shaking his head. "As a singer, you want to have a certain range, but that's not the essence of an artist. I realized that true artists are immersed in their art, in what they do best."
For Clay, that meant immersion in all aspects of recording his new album including co-writing songs, selecting producers and lobbying for a style that ventures beyond the power pop of his previous two albums, My Place Is With You and Time to Believe. "It was time for a new sound," Clay says. "Producers have everything to do with how an album sounds. I am a fan of Mark Heimermann's work (dc talk, Anointed, Jaci Velasquez). It amazes me how everything he touches has a special sound." The relationship clicked so strongly that Mark produced eight of the 11 songs. Clay says he expects people will describe the new sound as bluesy, rootsy, aggressive, even a little swampy. "I don't get ecstatic about much," he says, "but I'm really thrilled by how this album sounds."
He's also enthusiastic about the lyrical content. "I tour extensively, so I wanted songs that I could sing night after night with real conviction," he says. "The messages in this album are more straightforward than anything I've done. I wanted songs that addressed the idea of being strong in your faith. It's certainly not timid."
Although he loves his time on stage, he deeply appreciates the reality check of time at home with his wife Renna and daughter Shelby. "When you're performing all the time, it's easy to get distracted by the outward stuff-how you look, what you wear. I constantly remind myself to concentrate on what's on the inside and my family really helps keep me focused," he says. "My little girl doesn't care what her daddy does for a living. My wife doesn't spoil me. Hopefully, I'm doing as much for her as she is for me."
Visit Official Website.
The recipient of the 1995 Dove Award for New Artist of the Year, Clay has watched five of his songs soar to No. 1 and two of his albums mark sales of more than 400,000 units.
His powerful vocals and amiable attitude have garnered invitations to participate in high-profile special recording projects including My Utmost For His Highest: The Covenant, Emmanuel and Grammy Award winner Tribute: The Songs of Andrae Crouch as well as concert tours for The Young Messiah and Emmanuel.
But Clay was not content to be contained by conventional thinking. Instead, he felt compelled to stretch beyond the cocoon of safety in pursuit of true artistry as is clearly evident with his latest album titled Stained Glass. "When I was younger, I thought I should sing as high and as loud as I could and that would impress people," he says, shaking his head. "As a singer, you want to have a certain range, but that's not the essence of an artist. I realized that true artists are immersed in their art, in what they do best."
For Clay, that meant immersion in all aspects of recording his new album including co-writing songs, selecting producers and lobbying for a style that ventures beyond the power pop of his previous two albums, My Place Is With You and Time to Believe. "It was time for a new sound," Clay says. "Producers have everything to do with how an album sounds. I am a fan of Mark Heimermann's work (dc talk, Anointed, Jaci Velasquez). It amazes me how everything he touches has a special sound." The relationship clicked so strongly that Mark produced eight of the 11 songs. Clay says he expects people will describe the new sound as bluesy, rootsy, aggressive, even a little swampy. "I don't get ecstatic about much," he says, "but I'm really thrilled by how this album sounds."
He's also enthusiastic about the lyrical content. "I tour extensively, so I wanted songs that I could sing night after night with real conviction," he says. "The messages in this album are more straightforward than anything I've done. I wanted songs that addressed the idea of being strong in your faith. It's certainly not timid."
Although he loves his time on stage, he deeply appreciates the reality check of time at home with his wife Renna and daughter Shelby. "When you're performing all the time, it's easy to get distracted by the outward stuff-how you look, what you wear. I constantly remind myself to concentrate on what's on the inside and my family really helps keep me focused," he says. "My little girl doesn't care what her daddy does for a living. My wife doesn't spoil me. Hopefully, I'm doing as much for her as she is for me."
Visit Official Website.
Albums
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Stained Glass
A Different Man
My Place is With You
Time to Believe
I Surrender All, The Collection
Christmas with Clay Crosse
David Ordinary Man... Extraordinary God
Eternity With You: Live Worship
Simply Clay Crosse